Foldable butt particularly suited for rifle convertible into a grenade thrower



June 21, 1966 l P. c. BERETTA 3,256,632

FOLDABLE BUTT PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR RIFLE CONVERTIBLE INTO A GRENADETHROWER Filed March 10. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheer, l

EL' h ATTORNEY June 21, 1966 P. c. BERETTA 3,256,632

FOLDABLE BUTT PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR RIFLE CONVERTIBLE INTO A GRENADETHRowER Filed March 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

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l l mvENToR I-l'v, Q'ef @erg 6 claims (c1. 42-72) The present inventionconcerns a foldable butt particularly suited for a rifie convertibleinto a grenade thrower, such as for instance a riiie of the Garand 30M-l type.

Such a butt comprises a support fixed to the rear part of the stock ofthe rifle, a rod hinged at one of its ends to a pin mounted on saidsupport, a heel of elastic material fixed at the non-hinged end of saidrod and a subsidiary grip tiltable around a pin mounted in the proximityof the said non-hinged end of the rod, there being provided meansadapted to lock said rod selectively in one of two positions, in one ofwhich said rod is substantially aligned with the axis of the rifle, andin the other of which said rod is folded alongside the stock of therifle, and means to keep said subsidiary grip in a positionsubstantially normal to said rod.

rl`he foldable butt according to the invention, in addition topermitting the use of the weapon on which it is applied, as a riiieproper, permits the use of said weapon as a grenade thrower, whileavoiding the subsidiary grip interfering with the aiming with theweapon, when it is used to throw grenades, and in'particular permittingthe Vfoldable butt to absorb without any damage the violent recoilloccurring when a grenade is thrown. These two latter characteristicsresult from the fact that the subsidiary grip is tiltable on the rod,which is hinged at the support fixed to the rie stock, and also from thepresence of the heel of elastic material, which absorbs violent stresseswithout producing any permanent deformations, as would be the case ifthe Whole structure of the butt were of rigid character.

From tests carried out in fact it has been found that an entirelymetallic butt, after a rather limited number of rounds shot with thegrenade thrower, becomes deformed irremediably when said butt is restedagainst a hard and rigid surface, for instance on a flooring, to absorbthe recoil of the rounds.

These and other features will be clearer from the following descriptionin which there is .illustrated merely by way of indication withoutlimitation, an embodiment of the foldable butt, making reference to theappended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 represents partly in side view and partly in longitudinal sectionalong a plane of symmetry passing through the axis of the rie a foldablebutt made in accordance with one embodiment of this invention in itsextended position in which it is substantially aligned with the axis ofthe rifle;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line II-II of FIG- URE 1, showingthe mutual connection between the stock and the rifle;

FIG. 3 illustrates a section of the rie and of the foldable butt, takenalong the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates in a section taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. l themeans adapted to retain the sub- United States Patent() sidiary grip ina position substantially normal to the rod;

in which the foldable butt has been represented mounted on a rifle ofthe Garand 30 M-l type, a metallic support 1, for instance of duralumin,is fixed to the rear portion of the stock 2 of the rifle by means of alscrew 3 introduced through the bore 4 for housing the loading andshooting device (not illustrated) of the rifle.l The support 1 has amilled portion forming a slot 5 with parallel opposed surfaces (see alsoFIG. 3) and has a bore 6 in which there is housed a push-button havingone end 7 projecting from the surface of the support and the other end 8of conical shape (FIG. 3) reacting against a spring 9 housed in the bore6. The support 1 also has another bore 10 parallel to the bore 6,wherein there is placed a pin 11 with an enlarged head 12. In the slot 5of the support there is housed a plate 13 possessing a bore in whichthere is inserted the pin 11 and having at its periph# ery two notches14 and 15 respectively having conically shaped profiles (FIGS. 1 and 3).The plate 13 has an arm 16 (FIG. 2) to which there is fixed the endof arod 17 which at its other end carries rigidly a small support 18 onwhich there is fixed a heel 19 of elastic material, preferably hardrubber, directly vulcanized on the small support (FIG. l). That smallsupport has a bore into which there is inserted a small pin 20 (FIGS. 1and 5) on which there is mounted a subsidiary grip 21 which is pivotablyconnected at one end to the small pin by means of two lateral ears 22.In the subsidiary grip there is welded an insert 23 (see also FIG. 4) inthe shape of a U and having two sides 24 with inclined upper edges ineach of which there is a notch 25.

As can be seen from FIGS. l and 5, on the rod 17 there is fixed a sleeve26 sustaining a pin 27 to which there is hinged one end of a small rod28 which at its free end carries a T-shaped element 29 (FIG. 4) that isadapted to slide on the inclined edges 24 of the insert 23. Element '29seats in the notches 25 when the subsidiary grip is held in a positionsubstantially normal to the rod 17, and is disposed between two teeth 30(FIG. 5) forming part of the small support 18 when the small rod 28 istilted to a position substantially parallel to the rodA 17. On one sideof the small support 18 there are provided two grooves 31 and 32respectively crossing each other at in register with the bore into whichthe -small pin 20 is inserted, while on that ear'22 of the subsidiarygrip that faces these grooves there is provided a projection 33 of shapecomplementary to that of the grooves 31 and 32, in such a way that whenthe projection 33 registers with the groove'31 by rotating thesubsidiary grip around the small pin 20, said subsidiary grip isretained tilted in a .position substantially parallel to the rod 17(FIG. 5)

retaining in turn the small rod 28 substantially parallel to the rod 17with the element 29 housed between the teeth 30 and abutting against thelatter. i Finally it should be noted that integral with the support 1and in the lower part thereof there is provided an extension 34 with athreaded bore in which there engages a screw 35 securing the handgrip 36rigidly to the body of the rie.

To assemble the foldable butt on the stock 2 of the rilie, one tirstfastens the support 1 to the rear portion thereof by means of the screw3; then one introduces the push-button 7 into the bore 6 and holds itpresseddown from the outside as is indicated in FIG. 3; then oneintroduces into the slot 5 the plate 13 fixed at the end of the rod 17and then one introduces from the bottom (examining FIGURES 1 and 3) thepin 11 into the bore 10 of the support 1 and into the bore of the plate13. By means of the screw 35 one then blocks on the support the handgrip36 which rests on the head 12 of the pin 11 so as to prevent extractionthereof thereby preventing the plate 13 from leaving the slot 5. Theplate 13 has suchv a shape as to prevent the push-button 7 from comingout of the bore 6, since the shaped portion of the push-button alwaysengages with the plate 13 when it is left free to respond to the actionof the spring 9. Only when one of the two notches 14 and 15 registerswith the coneshaped part S of the push-button, can the latter projectfrom the surface of the support. When the cone 8 seats in the notch 14,the rod 17 is locked against rotation around the pin 11 in a positionsubstantially aligned with the axis of the rilie (FIGS. l and 2). Whencone 8 instead `seats in the notch 15, the rod 17 is locked in aposition resting on the stock of the rifle (FIG. By giving cone 8 aconicity a little more pronounced than the conicity of the notches 14and 15, one obtains the result of avoiding the creation of a clearancebetween the cone and the notches as a consequence of unavoidable wear.

Since the pin 11 cannot be held too close to the external lateralsurface of the rifie and since it is desirable that the butt-when it isin folded position as illus- `trated in FIG. 5 should lie as close aspossible to the stock of the rifle in order to reduce to minimum thespace requirement of said butt, it becomes necessary to displace theaxis of the rod 17 from the pin 11; that is to say, the presence of arm16 becomes necessary. The existence of said arm is the result of thefact that ,the axis of the rod 17 cannot be accurately coincident withthe axis of the rifle and should necessarily form a certain angle ofabout 3 to 4, with respect to the axis of the rifle. volve the fact thatthe two notches 14 and 15 on the plate 13 cannot 'be aligned with eachother and with the pin 11 but form with said pin an angle that is alittle smaller than 180 if considered from the side of plate 13 in whichthe rod 17 is fixed. The angularity and the lateral shift of the rod 17have been exaggerated in FIG. 2, but it should be noted at once thatthese angles, though they exist, do not cause any dangerous lexions inthe structure of the rifle at the time of throwing a grenade, since thecentre of the rubber heel 19 concides with the axis of the rifle. Tofold the rod 17 from the position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 to thatshown in FIG. 5, one depresses the push-button 7 thereby clearing (FIG.3) the plate 13, which is thus rotated around the pin 11 until the rod17 folds alongside the stock of the rilie. If then the push-button isreleased, the conical part 8 seats in the cavity 15 thereby locking therod against rotation.

If the rifle is used as a grenade thrower, the butt is held in itsfolded position along the stock of the riiie, and the subsidiary grip 21and the small rod 28 are held in folded position substantially parallelto the rod 17 (FIG. 5), in which position they are retained owing to thefact that the projection 33 provided on the ear 22 of the subsidiarygrip is pressed down into the groove 31 of the small support 18. To usethe foldable butt as a rie, after having locked the rod 17 in a positionof substantial alignment with the axis of the rifle, one pivots thesubsidiary grip about the pin 20, expelling the projection 33 from thegroove 31 and causing said projection to register with the groove 32.Then one rotates the small rod 28 away from the teeth 30 of the smallsupport 18, until the T-shaped element 29 comes into contact with theinclined edges 24 of the insert 23 Welded in the subsidiary grip 21.Said element 29 is then forced to ride along the inclined edges 24 untilit seats in the notches 25 provided in said edges (FIGS. 1 and 4). Undersuch conditions, the subsidiary grip is normal to the rod 17 andreactselastically with its upper portion against the rubber insert 19,permittingthe attainment of a safe locking of said subsidiary grip inthe position illustrated in FIG, l, in which position the weapon is incondition for use as a rifle. The rubber insert 19 provides an idealrest for the subsidiary grip on the shooters shoulder.

The aforementioned requirements also in- By pressing the small rod 28toward the rod 17, one j causes the element 29 to leave the notches 25and to be seated between the teeth 30 of the small support 18. Then byforcing the subsidiary grip 21 to rotate counterclockwise (FIG. 1) aboutthe pinZt), the projection 33 is made to register with the groove 31,thereby holding the subsidiary grip in. a position substantiallyparallel to the rod 17, with the small rod 28 too being heldsubstantially parallel to said rod 17 by the subsidiary grip. In theseconditions the rifle can be used as a grenade thrower. To do that, itsufiices to rest the rubber 19 4on the ground or on any other fixedsurface, whereby the shot of the grenade is totally absorbed by the rod17 and the rubber heel, the presence of which is esstential to avoidvery rapid wear and the inevitable deformations that would be producedin the foldable butt if said heel were not applied at the end of therod. When one uses the rifle as a grenade-thrower bearing against softground, the recoil due to the shot causes the rubber heel to sink intothe ground. To prevent the reaction of the shot from being partlyabsorbed by the small rod 28 as the T-shaped element 29 thereon sinksinto the ground, said T-shaped element seats between the teeth 3) insuch a manner that any possible reaction of the ground upon the element29 is discharged through the teeth 30 and the small support 18 on therod 17.

I claim:

1. A foldable butt particularly suited for a riiie convertible into agrenade-thrower, comprising a support fixed to the rear portion of thestock of a riiie, a rod hinged at one of its ends to a first pin mountedon said support, a heel of elastic material fixed to the opposite end ofsaid `rod, a grip pivotal around a secondv pin mounted on said rodadjacent said opposite end thereof, means to hold said rod againstrotation around said first pin selectively in one of two positions inone of which said rod projects rearwardly of the stock of said rifle insubstantial alignment with the axis of the rifle, and in the other ofwhich said rod is positioned alongside the stock of said rie, means forholding said grip substantially normal to said rod, said one end of saidrod having a plate integral with it in which a bore is provided and inthe perimeter of which there are provided two notches, said plate beingmounted in a slot provided in said support with said first pin extendingthrough said bore, said support having a bore in which there is 'mounteda reciprocable push-button having one end projecting from the surface ofthe support and its -other end seated against a spring housed in thesecond-named bore, said push-button having a portion Shaped in a mannersubstantially complementary to the shape of each one of said twonotches, the position of said notches on said disc and the position ofthe shaped portion of said push-button being such that the shapedportion engages, when the push-button is released, with one of said twonotches thereby preventing said plate from rotating when said rod is ineither of said two positions, said push-button not being in contact withsaid plate when it is depressed.

2. A foldable butt particularly suited for a rifle convertible into a-grenade-thrower, comprising a support fixed to the rear portion of thestock of a rifie, a rod hinged at one of its ends to a rst pin mountedon said support, a heel of elastic material fixed to the opposite end ofsaid rod, a grip pivotal around a second pin mounted on said rodadjacent said opposite end thereof, means to hold said rod againstrotation around said first pin selectively in one of two positions inone of which said rod projects rearwardly of the stock of said rifle insubstantial alignment with the axis of the rifle, and in the other ofwhich said rod is positioned alongside the stock of said rifle, meansfor holding said grip substantially normal to said rod, the last-namedmeans comprising an insert fixed to said grip and having an inclinedsurface, a third pin mounted on said rod, and a second rod hinged at oneof its ends to said third pin, and releasably engageable at its otherend in a notch formed in said inclined surface to retain said grip inits position substantially normal to the first-named rod.

3. A foldable butt as defined in claim 2, wherein said grid resilientlyengages said heel, when it is held in said position substantially normalto said iirst rod.

4. A foldable butt particularly suited Vfor a rie convertible into agrenade-thrower, comprising a support fixed to the rear portion of thestock of the rie, a iirst pin mounted on said support, a iirst rod oneend of which has a plate integral therewith having therethrough a boreand having in its -perimeter two notches, said one end of said iirst rodbeing housed in a slot provided in said support with said pin insertedin said bore to provide a pivot for said iirst rod, a heel of elasticmaterial iixed at 4the opposite end of said rst rod, a subsidiary gripmounted to pivot around a second pin mounted in said first rod adjacentsaid opposite end thereof, and a reciprocable push-button housed in abore provided in the support, said push-button having one end projectingfrom the surface of the support and the other end seated against aspring housed in the bore provided in the support, the push-buttonhaving a portion shaped in a substantially complementary manner withrespect to the shape of each of said two notches, the position of saidnotches Von said plate and the position of the shaped portion of saidpush-button being such that said 30 shaped portion engages, when thepush-button is not held depressed, selectively with one of said twonotches l.thereby preventing rotation of said plate when said first rodis in one of its said two positions, the said pushbutton not contacting,when it is held depressed, said plate thereby permitting rotation aboutsaid tirst pin, said subsidiary grip having fastened thereon an inserthaving an inclined surface, and said rst rod supporting a third pin towhich there is hinged, at one of its ends, a second rod, the other endof which is removably engageable in a notch in said inclined surface toretain said subsidiary grip in its position substantially normal to saidiirst rod.

5. A foldable butt according to claim 1, wherein said notches and saidportion of the push-button which is shaped complementary to said notcheshaving profiles of conical shape.

6. A foldable butt according to claim 4, wherein said heel is of hardrubber directly vulcanized on a second support which is rigidly mountedon said opposite end of said first rod.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 961,511 6/1910Marble 42-72 1,096,861 5/ 1914 Redfield 42--72 2,400,349 5 1946Haberstump 42--72 2,405,758 8/ 1946 Sampson 42-72 2,462,091 2/ 1949Garand 42-72 3,100,357 8/1963 Tellie 42-72 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, PrimaryExaminer.

1. A FOLDABLE BUTT PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR A RIFLE CONVERTIBLE INTO AGRENADE-THROWER, COMPRISING A SUPPORT FIXED TO THE REAR PORTION OF THESTOCK OF RIFLE, A ROD HINGED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS TO A FIRST PIN MOUNTEDON SAID SUPPORT, A HEEL OF ELASTIC MATERIAL FIXED TO THE OPPOSITE END OFSAID ROD, A GRIP PIVOTAL AROUND A SECOND PIN MOUNTED ON SAID RODADJACENT SAID OPPOSITE END THEREOF, MEANS TO HOLD SAID ROD AGAINSTROTATION AROUND SAID FIRST PIN SELECTIVELY IN ONE OF TWO POSITIONS INONE OF WHICH SAID ROD PROJECTS REARWARDLY OF THE STOCK OF SAID RIFLE INSUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE AXIS OF THE RIFLE, AND IN THE OTHER OFWHICH SAID ROD IS POSITIONED ALONGSIDE THE STOCK OF SAID RIFLE, MEANSFOR HOLDING SAID GRIP SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID ROD, SAID ONE END OFSAID ROD HAVING A PLATE INTEGRAL WITH IT IN WHICH A BORE IS PROVIDED ANDIN THE PERIMETER OF WHICH THERE ARE PROVIDED TWO NOTCHES, SAID PLATEBEING MOUNTED IN A SLOT PROVIDED IN SAID SUPPORT WITH SAID FIRST PINEXTENDING THROUGH SAID BORE, SAID SUPPORT HAVING A BORE IN WHICH THEREIS MOUNTED A RECIPROCABLE PUSH-BUTTON HAVING ONE END PROJECTING FROM THESURFACE OF THE SUPPORT AND ITS OTHER END SEATED AGAINST A SPRING HOUSEDIN THE SECOND-NAMED BORE, SAID PUSH-BUTTON HAVING A PORTION SHAPED IN AMANNER SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SHAPED OF EACH ONE OF SAID TWONOTCHES, THE POSITION OF SAID NOTCHES ON SAID DISC AND THE POSITION OFTHE SHAPED PORTION OF PUSH-BUTTON BEING SUCH THAT THE SHAPED PORTIONENGAGES, WHEN THE PUSH-BUTTON IS RELEASED, WITH ONE OF SAID TWO NOTCHESTHEREBY PREVENTING SAID PLATE FROM ROTATING WHEN SAID ROD IS IN EITHEROF SAID TWO POSITIONS, SAID PUSH-BUTTON NOT BEING IN CONTACT WITH SAIDPLATE WHEN IT IS DEPRESSED.